04 June, 2012

Star Wars: The Cantina

Following the positive response to 'Star Wars: Revenge Of The GIF' I decided I'd make another Star Wars fan film in 2006. Work was underway on the script when I read about Hasbro's "Star Wars Mini Movie" competition, a film competition where the films had to feature the Star Wars action figures. I stopped what I was doing and began work on 'Star Wars: The Cantina' instead.

Focusing on the cantina scene from 'Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope', 'The Cantina' is several ideas rolled in to one. The fan film I was working on also focused on what the camera didn't see (and was also set in the ANH time period). However it seemed unlikely that I would be able to include a version of the cantina scene in that, so carried over some of the things I'd been thinking of into this film - but with a more comedic spin. Though the characters act like their film selves, they are toys and so this is why there is the mention of a cocktail stick and why Yak Face moans about how much he is worth. Finally, when it became apparent I would not be able to get all the voices I needed, I re-edited it as a silent film. Re-editing ANH as a silent movie is something I've always wanted to do, however I have never had the time for such a thing. This allowed me to try it on a smaller scale, though it is not a completely silent film. Some sounds were left in as they were needed for gags, to create some atmosphere or just to liven up the audio.

'The Cantina' was nominated for two "Artoos" - the Star Wars Mini Movie Awards, and the awards show was where the film received it's premiere.